Casey Anthony Lawyer Negotiates ($$$) w/ Networks

7/22/2011 12:15 PM PDT

Jose Baez -- Casey Anthony's lawyer -- is holed up at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York City, holding court with all of the major networks -- to determine who will score the first interview with Casey -- and big bucks are involved.

Sources tell TMZ ... NBC, ABC and CBS are all competing for the first interview. Sources connected with the negotiations tell TMZ there is a "big price tag" for the interview. We're told the networks -- which say they don't pay for interviews -- are offering to license photos and other material and pay big bucks ... that's S.O.P. in the network game.

We're told NBC looks like the frontrunner so far, but ABC is in the game. We're told CBS "is a distant third." We're told NBC is paying for Baez' hotel room.

Baez spent part of the night Thursday in the Mandarin Oriental bar with famed lawyer Mark Geragos (right) -- who knows a thing or two about high-profile cases. We're told Geragos gave Baez pointers on negotiating the deal.

Tammy

Will NOT be watching. I hope the interview is a ratings flop, whichever network gets it.

holly

I mean.. unless she is going to tell everyone what happen to her kid... lost in grocery store, drowned, what ever.. the real truth is.. its just a waste of money to the fool that pays her to lie more. The girl has not said the truth yet.

jaz

Where was all the outrage when Nancy Dis Grace was pimping out this child's death for profit talk about blood money , hypocrites all of you.

Will NOT be watching. I hope the interview is a ratings flop, whichever network gets it.

holly

I mean.. unless she is going to tell everyone what happen to her kid... lost in grocery store, drowned, what ever.. the real truth is.. its just a waste of money to the fool that pays her to lie more. The girl has not said the truth yet.

jaz

Where was all the outrage when Nancy Dis Grace was pimping out this child's death for profit talk about blood money , hypocrites all of you.

Doreen

Networks are such freaking hypocrites! Shame on them.

Gatanegra

Networks will pay the big money because they know people WILL watch. If you watch, you're part of the problem!

Cindy

I'll watch, but I expect it to be a lot of nothing said.

becky

Whatever station it becomes... I will boycott!!! That woman has nothing to say that I want to hear.